Who We Are

IAATO membership is comprised of two main types of members:Operators and Associates. There are also Provisional Operators, who have some outstanding requirements to fulfil before they become fully fledged Operator members.

Operators operate directly in Antarctica and organize their own travel programmes.

Associates are tour operators, travel agents or other marketers that book their customers into Operator member's Antarctic programmes.

Most visitors to the Antarctic travel there by ship, using the vessel like a hotel during their stay. Vessels can be grouped in the following categories:

• C1 – Traditional expedition ships that carry 13-200 passengers and make landings
• C2 – Mid-size vessels that carry 201-500 passengers and make landings
• CR – Vessels that carry more than 500 passengers and do not make landings (i.e. cruise only)
• YA – Sailing or motor yachts that carry up to 12 passengers

IAATO Operator members offer a wide array of vessels to travelers. All of these are authorized for such cruises by their Treaty Party authority, flag state, and classification society.

Read more about the members of the IAATO Secretariat and the Executive Committee.